Really Rocket Science

Import-Export bank provides financing allowing Inmarsat to purchase Boeing satellites.
[SatNews – 05/14/2011]

At Global Space and Satellite Forum in Abu Dhabi, a call for an international space traffic management body.
[Gulf News – 05/14/2011]

Smart Communications lends Smart Link $-190 satellite phones and provides airtime to keep group in touch during 7-day trek through deep forest in Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in the Phillipines.
[Phillipine Star – 05/14/2011]

Thaicom sees IPStar bandwidth business booming in first quarter.
[Satellite Today – 05/13/2011]

Astrotech wins $16.2M contract to fabricate, install, and test satellite Ground Support Equipment for U.S. government.
[SatNews – 05/13/2011]

Congressman Mike Turner successfully includes language in National Defense Authorization Act requiring the Secretary of Defense to notify Congress in case of widespread interference with military’s use of GPS satellites.
[POB online – 05/13/2011]

Integral Systems chosen by SES to provide global geolocation services to help protect its global fleet of satellites from effects of radio frequency interference.
[SatNews – 05/13/2011]

Second-Generation Orbcomm satellites delayed until late 2011.
[Space News – 05/13/2011]

MDA selected by Thales Alenia Space to provide 486 high-performance Ka-band cross link and feeder link antennas for Iridium NEXT satellites.
[SatNews – 05/13/2011]

C-COM Satellite Systems receives its largest order in history for its iNetVu mobile satellite antenna systems from Telemann Communications Company, a reseller in Japan.
[TechZone360 – 05/13/2011]

National Broadband Network of Australia reaches agreement with Optus to provide Internet Satellite Services as part of its rollout.
[Broadband Expert – 05/13/2011]

Lockheed Martin wins $105M WIN-T contract to deliver on-the-move broadband networking capability using satellite and radio links.
[Satellite Spotlight – 05/12/2011]

Arianespace begins initial build-up at French Guiana Spaceport for its fourth heavy-lift mission of 2011, to launch BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R and ASTRA 1N.
[SatNews – 05/12/2011]

Guardian Mobility intends to acquire Alakai Technologies in order to incorporate its data monitoring technology into Guardian’s open platform satellite communications and data management systems.
[Satellite Spotlight – 05/12/2011]

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency decides to send halt command to DAICHI infrared earth observation satellite after three weeks of unsuccessful attempts to communicate with it.
[SatNews – 05/12/2011]

Vizada adds VSAT capability to Universal Card prepaid voice service.
[Satellite Today – 05/12/2011]

iDirect VSAT platform chosen for Iridium Next ground-control upgrade.
[Satellite Today – 05/12/2011]

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft obtains first image of giant asteroid Vesta.
[SatNews – 05/12/2011]

Northrop Grumman and Applied Minds announce success of recent launch and orbit of a Mayflower test microsatellite.
[SatNews – 05/12/5011]

Israel’s Defense Ministry to invest millions in upgrading country’s space communication capabilities.
[Space News – 05/11/2011]

Florida’s governor and legislators commit more than $43M for growth of space industry in Florida.
[SatNews – 05/11/2011]

Northrop Grumman wins $372M Air Force contract to provide satellite antenna system for B-2 stealth bomber that will help it send and receive information up to 200 times faster than now.
[Business Week – 05/11/2011]

Pau Pyrenees in southern France becomes Europe’s first airport to use new EGNOS Safety-of-Life Service to guide aircraft in for landing using only this space-based navigation signal.
[SatNews – 05/11/2011]

Afcom Satellite Network deploys first dual mode Satellite/TETRA communications system for emergency response vehicle in Niger Delta.
[Business Wire – 05/11/2011]

Hughes deploys HX System broadband satellite networks for Microcom in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
[Satellite Today – 05/11/2011]

Russian Satellite Communications Company and Eutelsat announce signing of MOU to launch new satellite at 36 degrees East.
[Traders Huddle – 05/10/2011]

Arianespace’s third Ariane 5 mission enters final preparations, readying for May 19 launch of GSAT-8 and ST-2.
[SatNews – 05/10/2011]

Landsat images capture Memphis, Tennessee flooding.
[SatNews – 05/10/2011]

GlobeCast and JIB launch NHK World HD on Eurobird 1.
[Satellite Today – 05/10/2011]

RapidEye works with SST Software to integrate its precision farming maps into SST’s information management products and services.
[SatNews – 05/10/2011]

NewCom International develops Emergency Communications Response Network to provide instant, cost-effective contingency or back-up communications for government and law enforcement personnel.
[SatNews – 05/10/2011]

Sky Italia orders IP video solutions from T-VIPS.
[Satellite Today – 05/10/2011]

Syria blocks satellite phone communications.
[Financial Times (MENA) – 05/09/2011]

United Launch Alliance launches Space-Based Infrared System Satellite into orbit for U.S. Air Force.
[Military Aerospace – 05/09/2011]

Gilat wins Australia NBN satellite contract.
[Satellite Spotlight – 05/09/2011]

Mitec of Montreal sells satellite communications business to Quebec-based provider of microwave components.
[Montreal Gazette – 05/09/2011]

At Global Space and Satellite Forum, UAE’s DubaiSat-1 seen as part of focus on space technology as new common ground for organisations, governments, and individuals in the region and globally.
[AMEinfo – 05/09/2011]

Yahsat’s new satellite, Y1A, reaches orbital position.
[7DAYS – 05/09/2011]

Use of Ka-band along with L-band satellites with 400 narrow beams (planned Alphasat 1-XL by Inmarsat) and use of lighter materials allow very compact, lightweight satellite systems for the warfighter.
[Defense Systems – 05/09/2011]

DigitalGlobe cooperates with two German companies to provide new range of high quality 3D data maps.
[SatNews – 05/09/2011]

MDA signs multi-year contracts to supply oil field monitoring products utilizing advanced RADARSAT-2 surveillance capabilities covering entire Canadian oil field.
[SatNews – 05/09/2011]

U.S.-based Space Adventures offers to equip Soyuz launch vehicle with additional living space for eight-day commercial flights around the moon.
[SatNews – 05/09/2011]

Mercury Computer Systems to provide leading prime contractor with Ensemble and Echotek products for use in high-speed satellite communications system to transfer ISR data from UAVs to ground forces.
[SatNews – 05/09/2011]

Norsat satellite terminals used by U.S. military as part of relief efforts in Japan following earthquake and tsunami.
[SatNews – 05/09/2011]

Arianespace receives “keys” to Soyuz launch complex at Guiana Space Center from the European Space Agency.
[SatNews – 05/08/2011]

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo hits another milestone on way to beginning commercial operations in suborbital space.
[Satellite Spotlight – 05/06/2011]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

A couple of years ago, the Americom name went away. That’s when owner SES S.A., having bought out GE’s stake via a creative asset & cash transaction, decided to combine Americom’s Princeton-based operation with the New Skies organization in Den Haag. All got mashed up into a thing called SES WorldSkies.  A dozen employees were let go, including yours truly. All of them in the U.S.

Recently, just prior to the Satellite 2011 show in Washington, a call went out from Betzder Schlass, headquarters for SES S.A., that the companies are slated for a re-org and “right sizing.” Yeah, heads were going to roll. Officially, it was not about “headcount,” only a justification of expenses. The networking among long-time U.S. employees immediately preceding this news was darkly startling: never have I seen more activity from former Americom colleagues on LinkedIn.com.

Ironically, the corporate rattling started just as the Society of Satellite Professionals International announced their 12th induction into the SSPI Hall of Fame. Three of the seven inductees were past CEOs of SES Americom: Dean Olmstead, Ed Horowitz and Rob Bednarek.

To many “old pros,” this wasn’t really news. They’ve seen the writing on the wall and concluded there would be less and less people running the business in the U.S., with the possibility of shutting down the Princeton office once the lease expired in 2014.  Earlier this month, a couple of dozen people lost their jobs, the lion’s share in New Jersey. Some were happy to “get a package” and move on, others not so much.

The office in Den Haag will likely be shut down, with most of the jobs moving to Luxembourg. Princeton jobs will likely be moved to Washington. Remaining will be token offices to satisfy licensing requirements.

What does this say about the state of the satellite business in the U.S.? Are EchoStar and DirecTV the only true American commercial satellite operators? Both SES and Intelsat are based in Luxembourg, Telesat’s based in Ottawa, Canada, and Eutelsat’s in Paris. And they’ve all benefited from the U.S. government’s need for satellite bandwidth in the Middle East and Central Asia (Iraq & Afghanistan). How much of the profits from U.S. sources, commercial and government, are used toward economic benefit in the U.S.? Perhaps a few satellite builds with Space Systems/Loral and Orbital Sciences.

Makes for an interesting argument. Bring it.

Final launch of space shuttle Endeavor is called off due to heater failure as six-man crew is walking toward the pad – NASA hopes to try again Monday.
[msnbc – 04/29/2011]

Azerbaijan is to sign a loan with French bank BNP Paribas in May to finance its first national telecommunications satellite Azerspace.
[ABC.AZ – 04/29/2011]

Arianespace to launch ABS-2 satellite for Asia Broadcast Satellite in 2013.
[Brahmand Defence & Aerospace News – 04/29/2011]

World’s largest product tanker owner, Maersk, fields KVH CommBox for network management on 120 vessels.
[GlobeNewswire -04/29/2011]

Two more communications providers, SI Wireless and Cellular South, join companies signing bilateral roaming agreements with LightSquared to expand planned nationwide 4G-LTE network.
[SatNews – 04/29/2011]

Pactel International is awarded multiyear contract to manage SamoaTel’s International Telephony business.
[SatNews – 04/29/2011]

Tracking Central Pty Ltd to  acquire exclusive licensing rights in Australia and New Zealand for GTX Corp’s GPS Smart Shoe product designed for seniors suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s.
[SatNews – 04/29/2011]

Global Space and Satellite Forum accepting registrants for the Use of Space Science and Technology for Disaster Management and Emergency Response workshop May 11 in Abu Dhabi.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

First meeting of Hosted Payload Alliance brings together representatives of industry and government to share creative solutions to challenging budgets for satellite systems.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

Eutelsat satellites booked for total of 13,000 MHz hours, equivalent to 15 transponders over 24 hours, for coverage of the royal wedding in London.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

COM DEV International is awarded Authorization to Proceed contract to provide equipment for a new commercial satellite.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

Texas-based Proactive Communications Inc. is awarded one of first fixed satellite services contracts from Texas Department of Information Resources, to provide rapid support in disasters and serve other needs.
[Satellite Spotlight- 04/28/2011]

Department of Veterans Affairs gets 13 systems from F4W Inc. which provide internet and VoIP connectivity for emergency situations, and include satellite broadband for when cellular is not available.
[PR Newswire – 04/28/2011]

EMS Technologies initiates new satellite communications study for The Commonwealth of Australia.
[Business Wire – 04/28/2011]

The second in series of 12 GPS IIF satellites arrives at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

STM and ViaSat successfully demonstrate waveform interoperability between the STM SatLink 2000 modem and the ViaSat DoD-standard Joint Internet Protocol Modem.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

Skyware Global announces opening of new office in Washington DC area.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

Russia and Sweden agree to improve cooperation in the space industry, including launching Swedish satellites using Russian carrier rockets.
[SatNews – 04/28/2011]

KVH’s new TracPhone V3, at just 14.5″ (37cm) the world’s smallest Ku-band maritime VSAT terminal, receives FCC license.
[GlobeNewswire – 04/27/2011]

Rumors have owners of Telesat fighting over the price for which the Canadian satellite communications company might be sold.
[Ottawa Citizen – 04/27/2011]

Team including scientists at Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories and the Air Force Research Laboratory work to improve capabilities for detecting and monitoring threats to U.S. space operations (space junk).
[PhysOrg – 04/27/2011]

Chinese space officials confirm plans to build a 60-ton space station by 2020 and build a space freighter for hauling supplies to the station.
[SatNews – 04/27/2011]

DirecTV takes measure of its subscribers’ preferences with regard to possible launch of Netflix-like video streaming service, following the acquisition of Blockbuster by Dish Network.
[The Hollywood Reporter – 04/27/2011]

Malaysia’s no. 1 rated HD channel, ONE HD, joins MEASAT’s video neighborhood.
[SatNews – 04/27/2011]

Topcon Precision Agriculture announces that its HiPer series of satellite receivers has been expanded to include a specialty receiver for the worldwide agriculture market.
[Precision Pays – 04/27/2011]

Spanish operator Digital+ launches 3D demo channel on SES ASTRA’s ASTRA.
[SatNews – 04/27/2011]

Integral Systems is selected as Mewxsat-3’s turnkey ground segment subcontractor.
[Satellite Today – 04/27/2011]

Track24 launches first global tracking and messaging systems for individuals and small businesses using Iridium satellite network and Track24’s mapping software.
[SatNews – 04/27/2011]

AMI to support Thrane Aviator SwiftBroadband service in the United States.
[Satellite Today – 04/27/2011]

NASA’s nanosatellite NanoSail-D is slowly descending after successfully orbiting the Earth’s upper atmosphere for 95 days after deploying its 100-square-foot sail on January 20th.
[SatNews – 04/27/2011]

SES announces new investment in new Luxembourg satellite control facilities and business center.
[Satellite Spotlight – 04/26/2011]Russian Space Forces re-establish contact with military satellite, Geo-IK-2, which went missing in February.
[SatNews – 04/26/2011]Intelsat’s new African satellite, New Dawn, is safely in orbit following Good Friday launch from French Guiana.
[Engineering News – 04/26/2011] ATK is awarded contract to provide upgraded more powerful second stage motor for Orbital Science Corporation’s Taurus II commercial launch vehicle.
[SatNews – 04/26/2011]ORBCOMM announces its two-way satellite data communications services are now authorized in Equador.
[Benzinga – 04/26/2011]Kazakhstan ready to consider Russia’s proposal of converting Baikonur Space Center into a joint-stock company, with Russia as major shareholder, according to RIA Novosti.
[SatNews – 04/26/2011]MTN Satellite Communications and ERZIA announce completion of Santander Teleport in Spain.
[PR Newswire – 04/26/2011]Satcom Direct becomes distribution partner for Inmarsat’s global phone services, offering them directly to government, military, and corporate aviation customers and resellers.
[PR Web – 04/26/2011]SES WORLD SKIES announces three new capacity deals with Global Crossing to meet growing connectivity demand across Latin America.
[Business Wire – 04/26/2011]Inmarsat and SkyWave develop new low data rate tracking, monitoring and message service promising up to 37x data capability of current global M2M services, for Q3 2011 launch.
[NSR – 04/26/2011]NARSS puts EgyptSat-2 launch on indefinite hiatus.
[Satellite Today – 04/25/2011]Arianespace launches two satellites – Yahsat 1A and Intelsat’s New Dawn, from French Guiana.
[redOrbit – 04/24/2011]Thuraya to sponsor the Istanbul University Solar Race Team in the World Solar Challenge across the continent of Australia, also providing Thuraya IP and Thuraya XT as their full communication solutions.
[SatNews – 04/24/2011]

SpaceX wins $75M NASA contract to complete Dragon spacecraft and modify it for human transport with launch escape system.
[Military Aerospace – 04/20/2011

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

Can you imagine what the satellite owners were going through when this launch was aborted on the pad?!? Watch…

24 hours later, no problem. Phew…

Global satellite machine-to-Machine (M2M) service revenues to reach $1.7B by 2017 according to new Gobal Industry Analysts report.
[San Francisco Chronicle – 04/15/2011]

U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency wants to lease a single commercial satellite for 15 years for $440M, meeting 78% of U.S. Central Command’s requirements in Afghanistan and Iraq while dramatically cutting costs.
[Next Gov – 04/15/2011]

Cheetah “Morale Satellite” system provides free phone calls home and fast Internet connectivity for soldiers in Afghanistan.
[DIVIDS – 04/15/2011]

Comtech receives $1.2M satellite ground station equipment order from a large integrator for a military requirement in a Latin American country.
[Your Industry News – 04/15/2011]

Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kan) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb) in an open letter ask fellow senators to call on FCC to stop LightSquared from deploying its nationwide LTE network until it proves service does not interfere with GPS services.
[Fierce Wireless – 04/15/2011]

Space Data Association announces full operational capability of its Space Data Center, established by commercial satellite operators to improve the safety and efficiency of space operations.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carries National Reconnaissance Office’s L-34 secret satellite payload aloft from Vandenberg.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

Arianespace to launch ASTRA 2E satellite for SES ASTRA in 2013.
[Brahmand – 04/14/2011]

New way to cool military satellite payloads to be tested by Northrop Grumman Corporation with an experiment on the International Space Station.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

Newtec extends invitation to all to join their 2011 Business Seminar “How to Keep Satellite Services Profitable” in Miami May 11 and 12, with first day capped by leisurely cruise and dinner.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

ITT successfully concludes Critical Design Review for imaging payload for the Worldview-3 Earth observation satellite being built for DigitalGlobe.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

Iridium excecutive states that the biggest opportunity ever for placing hosted payloads aboard telecommunications satellite system (the 66-satellite next generation Iridium system) may be lost because of slow-moving government bureaucracies.
[Space News – 04/14/2011]

Gilat’s SkyEdge II Broadband Satellite Network selected by Telecom Namibia to provide hundreds of locations throughout Namibia with VOIP and Internet services.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

New satellite to be launched from Kodiak Alaska, TACSAT-4, will carry UHF payload in highly elliptical orbit that will allow soldiers to communicate from deep canyons rather than out in the open, saving lives, though only available 6-7 hours a day.
[National Defense – 04/14/2011]

Advantech Wireless signs contract with Hoje Telecom of Brazil to provide VSAT upgrade hub, RF equipment, and more than 1,000 remote terminals.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

Globalstar Europe Satellite Services, in conjunction with Globalstar Avrasya of Turkey, provisioned to cover all of European sub-continent as well as northern Africa, Middle East, and most of Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic ocean maritime region.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

U.S. Air Force awards Integral Systems $6.99M contract for Rapid Attack Identification, Detection, and Reporting System to provide near real-time detection, characterization, geolocation, and electromagnetic Interference reporting for critical satellite communication systems.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

Dynetics and Pratt & Whitney join Rocket City Space Pioneers team competing for Google $30M Lunar X Prize to be awarded to first team to build and launch to the moon a privately funded spacecraft capable of completing a series of exploration and transmission tasks.
[SatNews – 04/14/2011]

MDA signs contract worth more than $40M to provide technology support for satellite communications and information service for a confidential customer.
[Windsor Star – 04/14/2011]

92,708 total registered attendees for 2011 NAB show in Las Vegas, with 25,691 international attendees and 1,314 news media, beating 2010 final attendance of 88,044.
[SatNews – 04/13/2011]

German aerospace contractor approved for taking lead role in designing European data relay satellite to promptly relay images of Earth from orbiting spacecraft back to ground stations.
[Spaceflight Now – 04/13/2011]

Top Azerbaijani official says country will launch communications satellite in 2012.
[RFE/RL – 04/13/2012]

Russia plans to test a next-generation spacecraft, build a new cosmodrome and even consider a manned mission to Mars after 2035.
[R&D Magazine – 04/13/2011]

China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology announces launch of eighth satellite of the Beidou-2 global navigation system aboard a Long March 3A rocket on April 10, 2011.
[Examiner – 04/13/2011]

RRSAT grows global broadcast network to over 590 channels featuring SD, HD, and 3D formats and increased number of playout centers in Israel and U.S.
[PR Newswire – 04/13/2011]

Arqiva will launch dedicated DVB-S2 MPEG-4 shared platform at Los Angeles teleport, affording broadcasters and mobile providers access to 100% of U.S. cable headends via SES WORLD SKIES’ AMC-10 satellite.
[TMCnet – 04/13/2011]

Raytheon leads team bidding on U.S. Air Force Launch and Test Range System (LTRS) Integrated Support Contract (LISC).
[Defense – Aerospace – 04/13/2011]

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approves merger of XM Canada and Sirius Canada.
[Satellite Today – 04/13/2011]

Intelsat’s New Dawn African satellite rescheduled for April 22 launch.
[Engineering News – 04/12/2011]

SES ASTRA Platform Services opens new playout centre near Munich, significantly expanding capabilities to provide broadcasters and production houses around the world with state-of-the-art playout and platform services.
[SatNews – 04/12/2011]

Harris to deliver shipboard satellite communications terminals to Canadian Navy.
[Satellite Spotlight – 04/12/2011]

SES WORLD SKIES announces AMC-3 C-band capacity deal with Weigel Broadcasting to deliver new digital ME TV channel to broadcast stations and viewers across U.S.
[Business Wire – 04/12/2011]

GMPCS unveils IsatTruck vehicular satellite phone package.
[PR Web – 04/12/2011]

TeleCommunications Systems selected as participant in FCSA contract allowing government agencies to procure services from commercial satellite services providers.
[Market Wire – 04/12/2011]

NSR press release – Revenues for Broadband Satellite Satellite Services to Exceed S$9 Billion by 2020.
[NSR – 04/12/2011]

GlobeCast selects Eurobird 9A to launch HD distribution platform.
[Indian Television – 04/12/2011]

Level 3 buys Global Crossing in effort to create a networking giant.
[Business Insider – 04/11/2011]

Maiden voyage of Ocean Star Pacific, first ship of the first national cruise line based in Mexico, to offer MTM satellite communications VSAT, crew calling, and Internet services.
[PR Newswire – 04/11/2011]

Qatar plans early 2013 launch of its high-powered communications satellite Es’Hail, being built under joint investment with Eutelsat.
[Gulf Times – 04/11/2011]

TerreStar GENUS satellite-enabled cellular smartphone provides expanded voice and data roaming coverage for mobile users.
[SatNews – 04/10/2011]

Iran’s claims about satellite service raise difficult question for ITU – “Can regulators refuse to accept word of sovereign nation about its own assets even if they are convinced it is lying?”
[Spacenews – 04/08/2011]

NSR Report “Broadband Satellite Markets” – VSAT networking and broadband access continue gains; a turning point for IP trunking.
[NSR – May 2011]

NSR Report “Global Satellite Manufacturing and Launch Markets” – 109 payloads were carried by 74 launch missions worldwide over the past 12 months, down from 2009 by 6.5%.
[NSR – May 2011]

Raytheon seeks new applications for System designed to communicate with deeply submerged swiftly moving submarines using satellites and underwater communications systems tied to buoys, since Navy has yet to come to decision on deployment.
[National Defense Magazine – May 2011]

NSR upcoming – HTS and KA-SAT: “Changing the European Telecom Landscape” – An Interview with Eutelsat.
[gotomeeting – May 24, 2011]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

The scale of the disaster in Japan, who some have compared to “four Katrinas,” is as mind-boggling today as it was a week ago. The automatic reaction in the satcom community was one of “ready, set, go” — let’s get our satcom systems turned up to help with communications efforts. The ITU cobbled together a bunch of satellite phones and terminals, et. al. as quickly as it could…

Among material already deployed are 78 Thuraya satellite phones equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to facilitate search and rescue efforts, along with 13 Iridium satellite phones and 37 Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network terminals. An additional 30 Inmarsat terminals are ready for dispatch. The equipment can be charged by car batteries and are supplied with solar panels to enable operations during power outages.

This may seem as if it’s not nearly enough to help, but you should also consider the response inside Japan. Only yesterday did the Ofunato City Hall get a much-needed satcom connection via the KIKU No. 8 (ETS-VIII) mobile satellite system…

On March 24, JAXA set up a ground antenna and the movable test communication terminal for the KIKU No. 8 at the Ofunato City Hall to connect the communication line of up to 768 Kbps between the City Hall and the Tsukuba Space Center via KIKU No. 8 in cooperation with the National Institution of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) based on a request from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, which received a petition from Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture.

With this communication line installation, Ofunato City Hall workers began collecting information by PCs through the Internet. Apart from city hall, local fire departments and other offices can also now use the Internet and IP telephones to share information for strengthening their cooperative activities.

In addition, as one of the special features of the KIKU No. 8 is communications with a small movable test terminal, which was installed at Ofunato City, information dispatch from evacuation centers and other places through the Internet became possible, because it is easy to move around and install it. Therefore, the connection this time is expected to further contribute to a smooth recovery from the disaster.

Simply getting these terminals out to where they were needed took time — and to find power sources. Most can be powered by a car battery, but they weren’t easy to find. Having a handheld unit is wonderful, until you need to recharge. As many found during last winter’s storm and subsequent power outages in the U.S., you could maintain your Internet connection/communication with an iPhone — only you’d be charging it in your car. In Japan, you car may have been washed away or buried under tons of debris, miles away. So that’s not an option.

Nobody could have predicted this type of utter destruction of property and the communications and power-transmission systems failures. The challenge of preparing satcom systems to respond effectively is to make sure there’s capacity available to meet the demand. As with the REDiSat Network, developed by SES Americom in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2006, nobody wants to pay for capacity that’s not needed. Full-time customers are ready to today, so they fill up the spectrum for their businesses. You can’t simply bump them to make room for emergencies when they have hundreds of customers depending on it for their livelihood.

That’s when the government needs to step in and  help foot the bill. Help the satcom operators keep satcom inventory ready to deploy in case of emergency, only not at the target 80% EBITDA margins. A reluctance to part with capacity at a lower profit margin caused the  REDiSat Network to fade away. Designing, building, testing, launching and operating a satcom spacecraft is expensive and they do serve the public well.

Broadcasters’ reliance on — and willingness to pay for — satcom systems is a wonderful arrangement.  It’s magic: an infinite number of receivers for video and a good source of cash flow for the satellite operators. Keeps a lot of rocket scientists employed, too.  As good corporate citizens, shouldn’t some of the profits be set aside to provide satcom capacity when needed?

I’m sure the accountants can find a way to pay for it.

Anybody who has capacity available in the region is likely booking it for TV news. Only SKY Perfect JSAT has any meaningful response (opens in PDF) …

As a measure for supporting post-disaster recovery, we are allocating necessary transponders capacity to anti-disaster organs, etc. and preparing for aid measure one by one. At present, the number of applications for subscription is increasing steeply. We are dealing with it as follows: For recovery assistance, we will immediately conduct what we can do with our communication satellite. We hope that the devasted area will be restored soon.

About the use of satellite communication services

• We will first distribute transponders to the institutions for post-disaster recovery, such as National Police Agency, the Ministry of Defense, related ministries, Telecommunication carriers and the U.S. military.
• As for the use of bands by electric power companies, including TohokuElectric Power, we will assist them proactively and give priority to them to allocate the cacant bands of Superbird-B2 owned by SKY Perfect JSAT
• As for the steep increase in the use by media organizations, we will deal with it thoroughly, and as for new subscriptions, we will allocate the band of JCSAT-5A, which has some room.

Where are the “we’re helping” press releases from the major satcom players?

The most significant real news coming out of last week’s Satellite 2011 show in Washington was the contract between Intelsat and MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) of Canada to re-fuel orbiting geosynchronous spacecraft. If successful, it has the potential of shifting the economics of satcom services. MDA has the experience and it takes away some of the thunder created by ViviSat earlier this year.

MDA has been pitching this business for years now, and the people managing the spacecraft could not find a way to (1) accept the engineering risk, and (2) see the financial benefits.  The scenario was adroitly summarized by Peter de Selding’s piece in Space News…

• Intelsat will select one of its satellites nearing retirement to be moved into a standard graveyard orbit some 200 to 300 kilometers above the geostationary arc 36,000 kilometers over the equator. It is the most used orbital highway for telecommunications satellites.
• Richmond, British Columbia-based MDA will launch the SIS servicer, which will rendezvous and dock with the Intelsat satellite, attaching itself to the ring around the satellite’s apogee-boost motor.
• With ground teams governing the movements, the SIS robotic arm will reach through the nozzle of the apogee motor to find and unscrew the satellite’s fuel cap.

The SIS vehicle will reclose the fuel cap after delivering the agreed amount of propellant and then head to its next mission.

MDA Chief Executive Daniel E. Friedmann said in a conference call with investors that MDA has identified more than 40 different types of fueling systems and that the SIS will carry a toolkit designed to open most of them.
Steve Oldham, president of MDA’s newly formed Space Infrastructure Services division, told reporters here March 15 that SIS will be carrying enough tools to open 75 percent of the fueling systems aboard satellites now in geostationary orbit.

Oldham said each mission will last two or three weeks.

So the potential is there for MDA — and you’ve got to give Intelsat credit for looking into the future potential like they’ve got a set. Other operators seem content to wait and see if it works — for now. With 52 orbiting spacecraft, Intelsat is in a good position to give it a go.

Andy Pasztor’s story in the Wall Street Journal latched on to the real financial potential for Intelsat: reselling the service to government customers who have their own spacecraft in need of refueling:

But the seven-year, $280 million contract announced Tuesday is the culmination of MacDonald Dettwiler’s efforts to take the lead in shifting from demonstrations and research to using the technologies in real-world applications.

“This takes it out of the realm of science fiction,” said Kay Sears, president of Intelsat’s government-services unit. “We don’t need to study it any more, we’re going to do it.” Intelsat, based in Luxembourg but with its main office in Washington, operates the largest global commercial-satellite fleet.

By pairing a sophisticated robotic service vehicle with what essentially amounts to an orbiting gas station for satellites, MacDonald Dettwiler intends to shuttle fuel to satellites reaching the end of their normal operational lives of between 10 and roughly 15 years.

Unlike concepts favored by rivals, the Canadian system is designed to have the mobile servicing vehicle disconnect from satellites after they are refueled, a process likely to take several weeks.

According to Ms. Sears, Intelsat chose that approach because it affords maximum flexibility to subsequently move rejuvenated satellites around as market conditions change.

In addition to using the venture to assist Intelsat’s own fleet of more than four dozen satellites, Ms. Sears said the company has the exclusive right to market the first-of-a-kind services to the Pentagon and other prospective U.S. government customers operating satellites, including spy agencies.

Once the venture gains momentum, she said, “it’s going to change the industry” and offer U.S. government officials “a nice opportunity to use a cost-effective” solution to avoid huge replacement costs for certain aging satellites.

This creates a new market in the space business, so I’d expect ViviSat’s simplified solution to gain some traction with other operators in the near future.

Imagery from MDA Systems Information Group’s RADARSAT-2 satellite is being used to assess damage and direct relief efforts to the main stricken areas of Sendai, Japan, in the wake of the March 11 earthquake.
[SatNews – 03/18/2011]

Imagery from the Formosat-2 high resolution satellite, the only one capable of imaging the same point every day because of its atypical orbit, allow international community to follow evolution of Japanese earthquake disaster day by day.
[SatNews – 03/18/2011]

NAB sets off debate over “Spectrum Hoarding.”
[PC World – 03/18/2011]

Arqiva is expanding its U.S.-based government and domestic operations in Washington, D.C. by developing and refining its teleports for secure transmissions.
[Satellite Today – 03/18/2011]

The first experiment to investigate the effects of solar plasmasphere disturbances on satellite communications will be launched aboard the UK Space Agency’s maiden CubeSat mission.
[the engineer – 03/18/2011]

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSB) signs five-year agreement with NewWave Broadband to provide iDirect’s Virtual Network Operator services for its maritime customer ShipEquip.
[Satellite Today – 03/18/2011]

Integrating SCPC Return Channel technology, iDX v3.0 software enables service providers to manage TDMA and SCPC networks over same platform.
[ThomasNet News – 03/18/2011]

Satellite broadband provider Wildblue moves to larger headquarters, with plans to hire 30 workers.
[Business Week – 03/18/2011]

NASA-affiliated scientists propose using low-powered, ground-based laser to nudge pieces of space debris off of collision courses with each other.
[SatNews – 03/17/2011]

SES selects International Launch Services (ILS) to launch the SES-6 satellite on a Proton rocket in 2013.
[Satellite Today – 03/17/2011]

Globalstar takes delivery of six next generation (2G) satellites at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
[SatNews – 03/17/2011]

LightSquared working group formed to test for possible interference to GPS has 34 members including Garmin and other GPS vendors as well as Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, NASA, FAA, and other government agencies.
[PC World – 03/17/2011]

ITU assists communications in Japan by sending 13 Iridium satellite phones, 37 Inmarsat BGAN terminals, and 78 Thuraya satellite phones with GPS to assist in search and rescue work.
[Computer World – 03/17/2011]

Lockheed Martin successfully tests next generation GPS integrated flight software and computer processors, demonstrating enhanced ability to communicate among the satellite, network communications and navigation elements.
[emoney daily – 03/17/2011]

Norsat International Inc. releases multi-band versions of its GLOBETrekker™ and Rover™ satellite systems, which will now be available in Ka-band.
[SatNews – 03/17/2011]

Intelsat renews contract with social media company dBase Media, who will provide social media strategy, implementation and reporting in preparation for New Dawn satellite launch.
[The Street – 03/17/2011]

Skylogic to market Eutelsat’s next generation Tooway product on the powerful KA-SAT high throughput Ka-band satellite.
[SatNews – 03/17/2011]

EMA Group (EMA) announces that the Albanian government has awarded the Company a contract to implement Iridium-based Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) for the country’s commercial fishing fleet.
[SatNews – 03/17/2011]

Intelian Technologies unveils its largest VSAT communications antenna, a 2.4m C-band antenna for marine applications.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/17/2011]

Intelsat contracts Canada’s MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) to develop commercial satellite-refueling business that will include launch of a Proton-class servicing spacecraft and a test mission on a disused communications satellite.
[Aviation Week – 03/16/2011]

Launch providers in tough panel discussion at Satellite 2011, with some bullish about their futures, others not so bullish, and a bit of criticism of one another.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/16/2011]

Integral Systems announces that the Company has been selected by Intelsat to provide its EPOCH Integrated Product Suite (IPS) satellite command and control software to manage Intelsat’s newest satellites – Intelsat 21 and 22.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

Inmarsat and partner Skywave Mobile Communications make data service available on global handheld satellite phone, IsatPhone Pro.
[PR Newswire – 03/16/2011]

DISH Network receives approval from a U.S. bankruptcy court to acquire a 100% stake of DBSD North America Inc.
[Zacks – 03/16/2011]

iDirect announces that Bentley Walker Ltd., one of the largest VSAT network operators in Europe, has purchased iDirect’s SatManage network management system.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

Thales Alenia Space selects EMS Defense & Space for L-band communications hardware for low-earth orbiting, cross-linked satellites produced by a third company.
[Government Video – 03/16/2011]

Gateway Communications selects Gilat as its primary VSAT provider, enhancing services to mobile and fixed line operators with connections in Africa and to the rest of the world.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

Thuraya announces signing of key distribution agreement with Athens-based Tetra Communications, who will market Thuraya’s voice and broadband data services in Greece and surrounding NATO countries.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

INPE of Brazil selects Brüel & Kjær to be the supplier of their replacement data acquisition and vibration test system for satellite launch simulation and qualification testing.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

ViaSat and Asia Broadcast Satellite enter into a multi-year agreement to provide Ka-band satellite service in key areas of the Middle East using the ABS-7 satellite.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

Integral Systems announces release of a new version of the satID® Geolocation System by its wholly-owned subsidiary, RT Logic.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

XTAR is awarded bandwidth contract by Intelsat for 79.5 MHz of X-band capacity from its XTAR-EUR satellite sitting over Europe and Middle East.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

Globecomm Systems introduces auto-aligning VSAT antenna using band-specific feed cartridges with integrated RF electronics to enable quick switch in the field from X- to Ka- to Ku- satellite bands.
[SatNews – 03/16/2011]

Avanti’s Hylas 1 in-orbit testing complete; satellite ready to begin servicing broadband customers in Europe.
[ZDNet – 03/15/2011]

Yahsat selects Hughes Networks Systems to enable broadband services on Yahsat’s high performance Y1B Ka-band satellite.
[PR Newswire – 03/15/2011]

World Teleport Association announces recipients of 16th annual Teleport Awards of Excellence during luncheon ceremony at Satellite 2011.
[SatNews – 03/15/2011]

Globecomm introduces its FAST terminal for rapid deployment of enterprise-class communications solutions.
[Business Wire – 03/15/2011]

Tachyon is expands its broadband capacity over Southwest Asia with a capacity lease on Eutelsat’s SESAT 2 satellite.
[SatNews – 03/15/2011]

Satlink selects Zixi’s broadcast-quality HDTV over the cloud in place of satellite trunk lines and where satellite or fiber optic transmission services are not feasible.
[Business Wire – 03/15/2011]

SES WORLD SKIES has a new capacity deal with Axesat that’s aimed at meeting escalating corporate service demand across Latin America and the Caribbean.
[SatNews – 03/15/2011]

DigitalGlobe contracts with Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services for the launch of WorldView-3.
[SatNews – 03/15/2011]

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) will launch the SES-8 medium-sized communications satellite on a Falcon 9 vehicle in 2013, under the startup launch service provider’s first geostationary communications satellite launch contract.
[Aviation Week – 03/14/2011]

Iridium Communications wins $13.4 million follow-on task order from the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren to implement Phase 3 of the Distributed Tactical Communications System (DTCS) program.
[TMCnet – 03/14/2011]

Stratos Government Services (SGSI) wins General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 70 FCSA contract to provide commercial satellite communications products and services to the U.S. Government.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/14/2011]

Dire state of communications in Japan following earthquake evident in NBC report where reporter provided satellite phone to American teacher so she could reach out to her family in the states.
[Computer World – 03/14/2011]

RRSat assists in launch of HIGHTV, reportedly the first international entirely 3D entertainment channel.
[TV Technology – 03/14/2011]

Top secret military payload NROL-27 lifts off from Cape Canaveral on Delta IV rocket.
[Universe Today – 03/12/2011]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

Who would dare compete for the attention of hip techies with SXSW in Austin? Quite a few, actually, and none of them are hip.

There’s the Indiana Flower & Patio Show and the NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education annual conference in Philadelphia. There’s also the PITTCON Conference & Expo (laboratory science),  International Summit & Exhibition on Health Facility Planning, Design & Construction and one in Seattle: the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.  Wait, there’s one more: Satellite 2011.

That’s right: satcom has yet to come across as being “hip.” OK, so investors may want to stick with traditional, risk-minimizing returns from the major player. That good for now. What about the future? Who will be making the decisions whether to use satellite technology in the future?

Ed Horowitz was alluding to the coming change in the marketplace in his pre-conference luncheon speech yesterday…

There is an impending conflict between media distributors and media providers. New media is growing faster than traditional media. It is about carrying your content around with you. New media consumers want to do more than just consume available information. They want to create it. Five out of the 10 fastest growing websites have user-generated content. Very soon, 50 percent of the workforce will be Generation X and Generation Y. 2011 marks a new rubicon for our business. Traditional media connections are changing. The new model is an open model with a direct connection between the consumer and media.

The concept of prime time is gone. Prime time is all the time. You have Google, Apple, Netflix, etc. TVs are becoming Web browsers. The revolution is global. The convergence of the TV and the PC is happening. Lastly, this generation that has grown up with this empowerment. If you don’t serve them what they want, you die (AOL and MySpace). Satellite must be ready to serve customers on the move. It has to be at the network’s core. This will require the industry to team up with new players.

TV Everywhere. Who’s on it? TimeWarner’s CNN, according to a piece by Staci Kramer in paidContent.org…

The launches are still months away but CNN Digital has a pair of announcements from SXSW tonight that mark significant advancements for the network’s online and mobile video offerings. In early summer, CNN plans to flip the switch on its version of Time (NYSE: TWX) Warner’s CEO Jeff Bewkes’ TV Everywhere, making it possible for subscribers of Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) Xfinity, Dish, Cox and Verizon FiOS to watch CNN live across platforms and devices. Other Turner Broadcasting networks, including TNT and TBS are likely to offer authenticated live streaming of linear channels at the same time.

CNN also will launch a new video player taking full advantage of the native HD being used for nearly all its footage now, the first major update for CNN’s online video experience in three years. KC Estenson, SVP and GM of CNN.com, showed me the new player on multiple bank of screens during a practice session before I left Austin; the quality of the video being streamed over WiFi in 19:9 format to the large screen array doing double duty as a computer monitor was stunning. Equally important, the player is designed to work across platforms, including Google (NSDQ: GOOG) TV. Eventually Estenson, who calls the new player a “quantum leap,”  expects it be to be available through any internet-connected TV.

In addition to various technical improvements, the player features a playlist that moves with the user from device to device. Start watching on a computer, switch to an iPhone or iPad, pick it up later on a connected TV and the player will know where the user left off and what is in the queue. One hitch: at launch, it will only work with internet access. Eventually, CNN hopes to make offline viewing possible. Estenson is striving for the quality of Vimeo, the serendipity of YouTube, the experience of Hulu and the portability of Netflix (NSDQ: NFLX).

Meanwhile, back at satcom ranch, the most exciting news is SES signing with SpaceX for a Falcon-9 launch. That’s a good one, compared to other news surrounding Satellite 2011.

The SPPI Gala is going hip? Yeah, no more black-tie attire.  Let me make a bold prediction: nobody will dress like the partygoers at the Angry Birds event at SXSW…

How about on-site promotion? Have you ever seen anything resembling this at the satellite show? A Nokia N8 promotion in Austin. Why? Because they’re competing for relevancy and satcom should do likewise.

ATTENDING SATELLITE 2011?  Send me an email if you’d like to meet.  Bill

Russia’s Raduga-1 geostationary military communication satellite has likely lost communications with the flight control center and may have run out of fuel.
[CRI English – 03/11/2011]

Naval Research Laboratory positions unique elliptic-orbit TacSat-4 for launch in May 2011.
[Business Wire – 03/11/2011]

Group of 17 major stakeholders in GPS industry want FCC and NTIA to make LightSquared guarantee its planned network won’t interfere with GPS systems.
[Wireless Week – 03/11/2011]

Yahsat’s Y1A satellite, Abu Dhabi’s first, ready for March 30 launch by Arianespace from French Guiana.
[Gulf News – 03/11/2011]

Hughes Network Systems high-performance commercial satellite router receives National Institute of Standards and Technology security certification.
[SatNews – 03/11/2011]

New technology from SES ASTRA base on ASTRA2Connect allows telecommunications operators and Internet service providers to offer satellite-base broadband via existing last-mile infrastructure.
[SatNews – 03/11/2011]

Germany’s Fairplay Towage selects FleetBroadband from Stratos for deep-sea tugboats.
[PR Newswire – 03/11/2011]

UK Royal Academy of Engineering report claims that growing dependence on satellite navigation systems poses serious economic and safety risks to society.
[The Register – 03/10/2011]

Euroconsult reports that revenue in global aeronautical satellite communications market grew by almost 25% in 2010; growth expected to continue at slower pace over next decade.
[SatNews – 03/10/2011]

International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight to be held in New Mexico in October to focus on how technical advances are driving success of companies in commercial space industry.
[SatNews – 03/10/2011]

South African Maritime Safety Authority installs sophisticated navigation satellite systems to protect the country’s waters from piracy and other threats.
[The New Age – 03/10/2011]

NASA soon to unveil its new rocket integration facility at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia; first customer to be Orbital Sciences Corp with its Taurus II launch vehicle.
[SatNews – 03/10/2011]

FCC to determine whether to extend rate caps on SiriusXM satellite radio beyond July 28 – final comments due March 11.
[Twice Mobile – 03/10/2011]

SpeedCast signs multi-year agreement with SES WORLD SKIES for additional capacity on NSS-6, NSS-7, and NSS-12 to serving growing demand of maritime customers in Middle East, Africa, and South America.
[SatNews – 03/10/2011]

First Space Based Infrared Systems satellite delivered by Air Force to Florida base for May launch.
[U.S. Air Force web site – 03/10/2011]

New Zealand satellite communications provider Farmside and IPStar provide free of charge wireless communications via satellite in support of post-earthquake rescue efforts.
[SatNews – 03/10/2011]

Satellite communications provider NSSLGlobal assists Associated Press communicate with world during Eqyptian uprising.
[SatNews – 03/10/2011]

French capital development fund acquires Thomson Video Networks, promising revamped satellite product line.
[Satellite Today – 03/10/2011]

Blue Sky Network debuts new SkyRouter 2, allowing customers to more easily track and communicate with all their mobile assets.
[SatNews – 03/10/2011]

Satcom Direct partners with AirCare Solutions Group to offer in-flight tele-medicine service to FDF customers.
[Satellite Today – 03/10/2011]

The Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group changes its name to Satellite IRG, and re-aligns its management structure.
[Satellite Today – 03/10/2011]

Vizada and Telemar win 85-ship maritime broadband contract in Germany.
[Satellite Today – 03/10/2011]

Boeing announces completion of Preliminary Design Review for three Ka-band satellites with hosted payloads to be built for Inmarsat as Inmarsat-5 spacecraft.
[SatNews – 03/09/2011]

UltiSat wins contract from AT&T Government Solutions to provide satellite-based Internet services to U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan.
[Satellite Today – 03/09/2011]

Inmarsat selects Cobham as intital launch partner for maritime satellite terminals for its forthcoming Global Xpress service.
[Trade Arabia – 03/09/2011]

Hiding in plain site at Satellite 2011 – a Norsat 1.8 meter transportable terminal concealed in a ConcealFab Corp PVC barn.
[SatNews – 03/09/2011]

Aircell announces plans to migrate its Gogo airborne Wi-Fi service to international flights as well as increase performance of its domestic services.
[PC Magazine – 03/09/2011]

Globecomm Systems launches Globecomm Maritime, bringing together its four business units Telaurus, Mach6, Evosat, and Carrier2CVarrier to provide a comprehensive suite of maritime communication solutions.
[SatNews – 03/09/2011]

Hughes executive to address military forum at Satellite 2011 on commercial satellite capabilities for government/defense communications-on-the-move (COTM).
[PR Newswire – 03/09/2011]

NSR report – Earth Observation value-added services may not offer the easy cruise anticipated, but could become a bumpy ride.
[NSR – 03/09/2011]

Turkey signs $571M deal with Mitsubishi Electric of Japan for two satellites.
[Satellite Today – 03/08/2011]

Iridium is making a push into lower-cost satellite services.
[Space News – 03/08/2011]

CapRock selected as one of 46 prime vendors to be awarded basic ordering agreement by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; continues string of successful GSA Schedule 70 awards.
[Globe Newswire – 03/08/2011]

C-Com set to unveil two mobile satellite antenna systems at Satellite 2011, including its iNetVu Airline Checkable antenna.
[marketwire – 03/08/2011]

Air Force awards contract to study Ka-band architectures and acquisition strategies to Hughes Network Systems.
Defense Systems – 03/07/2011]

Spacenet receives 2010 Satellite Spotlight Product of the Year Award.
[Business Wire – 03/07/2011]

Thuraya announces launch of new Seagull 5000i maritime terminal in partnership with Addvalue Communications.
[AMEinfo – 03/07/2011]

Matys Satcom Ltd. introduces new LP-90 low profile phased array Ku-band satellite antenna system intended for high-performance broadband connectivity to defense, homeland security and commercial land vehicles on the move as well as maritime.
[Government Video – 03/07/2011]

SES enters framework understanding with Sea Launch regarding possible cooperation on future launch of SES satellites on Sea Launch launch vehicles.
[SatNews – 03/07/2011]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services